New Resources Examine How Housing Instability, Limited Access to Affordable Housing, and Reduced Tenant Protections Impact Children’s Health and Well-being
 

The campaign, in collaboration with Steering Committee member Children’s HealthWatch, has released a two-part policy brief series on housing as a foundation for child health and well-being. The campaign released a companion podcast episode featuring two of the briefs’ authors, Dr. Megan Sandel, Co-Lead Principal Investigator at Children’s HealthWatch, and Charlotte Bruce, Children’s Health Watch’s Director of Policy.

 

“A Foundation for Every Child: Housing Stability and Health Equity” explores how housing instability and eviction affect children’s health across the life course, deepen inequities, and create avoidable costs, while outlining evidence-based federal solutions to help families achieve stability nationwide.

Read more.
“Stable Homes, Healthy Children: Cuts and Restrictions Threaten Child Health and Thriving” examines how proposed federal cuts, eligibility restrictions, work reporting requirements, time limits, and weakened tenant protections could destabilize families, increase housing instability, and harm children’s health and well-being across communities.

Read more.

The podcast episode “Housing Stability and Health Equity for Children and Families,” features Dr. Sandel and Charlotte Bruce discussing the new policy briefs, the history of Children’s HealthWatch and the OSAH campaign’s partnership, why affordable housing matters to healthcare providers, and how housing advocates can best partner with healthcare providers and public health leaders.

Listen here.
Grounded in extensive research, the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign and Children’s HealthWatch support solutions to reduce housing instability and homelessness, including:

  • Bridging the gap between rents and income so every low-income household can access the support they need to thrive in the community of their choice.
  • Increasing the supply of housing that is affordable, available, and accessible to low-income households.
  • Stabilizing households by providing emergency rental assistance to avert housing instability and homelessness.

These briefs and the companion podcast episode offer additional evidence for policies that elected officials can advance to prevent eviction and homelessness. Alongside significant investments in affordable, equitable housing programs, bold legislation is urgently needed to address the housing crisis and improve lifelong health.
 

Read Both Policy Briefs

Listen to the Podcast on Spotify, Apple, and Soundcloud